FIELD OF THE INVENTION
Populations of Purple Martins in birdhouses have long been reduced by the occupancy of Starlings and House Sparrows, and Starlings are known to destroy nests, eggs and young birds, as well as adult birds of all species. This invention relates to means for preventing the undesirable Starlings, and to some extent House Sparrows, from occupying and nesting in Purple Martin birdhouses. Specifically, the invention relates to the use of single and double convex mirrors for reflecting the images of birds attracted to the birdhouse. The convex mirrors of this invention are positioned with the curved, wide angle image-reflecting surface or surfaces facing the birdhouse and the object is to scare the Starlings and House Sparrows and these and other birds, to prevent them from entering and nesting in the birdhouse, since, unlike Purple Martins, Starlings and some House Sparrows flee at the sight of their reflection in the mirror. More particularly, the invention relates, in a preferred embodiment, to circular single and double convex mirrors mounted in mirror frames which are rotatably or fixedly attached to one end of a perch, and preferably, an elongated L-rod. The opposite end of the L-rod is U-shaped and adapted for attachment to the birdhouse by means of a "double-S" bracket. In a most preferred embodiment of the invention, the L-rod is adapted for attachment to the horizontal birdhouse ledge by means of the bracket using a nail, screw or bolt. In a primary embodiment of the invention, the convex image-reflecting surfaces of the mirrors are designed to enlarge and/or distort the birds image and the supporting frames, or the mirrors themselves, may be provided with a hole, through which the L-rod is inserted to support the mirror.